CHAPTER 427: AGAIN AND AGAIN I GO

[Steve’s PoV]

The training ground was silent except for the faint hum of Essence running through the place. I stood across from Hazel, the Emperor’s sister, her blade already drawn and resting loosely in her hand.

The way she held it was relaxed, almost careless, but I knew better. She was a grandmaster and one who was really really angry.

’I swear, my life is full of lunatics,’ I thought, remembering another madman I knew, Billion.

My fingers tightened around the hilt of my sword. Sparks danced faintly across the edge, lightning crackling in anticipation. Days of relentless training had sharpened my instincts, but this was different. This was Hazel. A Grandmaster. Someone who had already walked the path I was struggling to carve.

Her voice broke the silence. "You’re too tense, Steve. You want speed, but you’re holding yourself back with hesitation. Trust your instincts. Trust your blade. The Abyss Severance doesn’t tolerate doubt."

I took a deep breath and nodded. She moved first.

Her sword cut the air in a simple arc, yet it was anything but simple. It was so fast that my eyes barely caught it, and by the time I raised my blade, the tip of hers was already a whisper from my throat.

Clang!

Lightning exploded along my arms as I pushed Essence into [Burst Flash], the world slowing just enough for me to redirect her strike. My sword blurred, but Hazel only smiled faintly and twisted her wrist. The force of her counter sent me sliding back several steps, the ground tearing under my boots.

"Better," she said calmly. "But not sharp enough. Again."

I surged forward this time. My body almost dissolved into light, [Blind Rush] guiding my movements.

My blade swung for her midsection, the air trembling from the speed, but Hazel leaned aside with a grace that mocked my effort. Her sword snapped out, faster than thought, aiming for my shoulder.

I didn’t think, I let go. Instinct roared through me. My blade flicked upward, and for a heartbeat, there were two of me. The afterimage of my strike rippled behind the real one. [Shadow Echo].

Steel rang twice in quick succession. Her strike met mine, then the echo clashed an instant later, forcing her back a single step. Just one step, but it was enough to light a fire in my chest.

Her eyes sharpened. "Good. You’re beginning to feel it. The shadow of intent, the echo of your will. Now bind it with the abyss."

I clenched my teeth, forcing lightning into my veins. My aura flared, dark and crackling, and I whispered the words that still felt foreign on my tongue.

"[Abyss Severance]."

The world narrowed to a single line. The moment was crystal clear—her stance, her breath, the angle of her wrist. I swung.

My sword blurred into black lightning, a slash meant to end everything in its path. The air split, a rift of shadow trailing in its wake.

Hazel didn’t flinch. She raised her blade with almost lazy precision, as if brushing aside a stray branch. Her silver arc cut straight through my strike, shattering the shadow and lightning in a single effortless swing. My attack unraveled like smoke, gone before it even reached her.

Her eyes met mine, calm, almost bored, as if to say, That’s all?

But then she smiled.

Her sword moved again, impossibly fast. She cut straight through the echo of my strike, dispersing it like mist. In the same motion, the flat of her blade pressed against my chest before I could react.

I froze.

"You’re hesitating again," she said softly, her eyes steady on mine. "You severed well, but you feared the result. Fear dulls the edge." She withdrew her blade and stepped back.

I exhaled sharply, sweat dripping down my brow. My body trembled from the strain of pushing [Abyss Severance].

The skill wasn’t just physical—it tore at my focus, my will. Every swing felt like it demanded a piece of me.

Hazel tilted her head slightly. "Do you understand the difference between us, Steve?"

I swallowed. "...You don’t hesitate."

"Exactly. Severance isn’t about speed. It’s about certainty. When you swing, you must believe that the world itself will split before your blade. Not hope, not wish, believe. Otherwise, you’ll only ever scratch the surface."

I looked down at my sword. Lightning still shimmered faintly across its edge, mingling with shadows that pulsed and curled like smoke. The power was there, but my heart wavered. She was right.

"I want to be someone who can end a fight in one strike," I admitted.

"A swordsman who doesn’t waste movement or time. Just certainty. Just the blade."

Hazel’s lips curved slightly, almost proud. "Then you’re already walking the path. But it’s a path paved in blood and resolve. Don’t falter, Steve. Every strike you make from now on must be one you’re willing to stake your life on. That’s the weight of Severance."

She raised her sword again, eyes glinting.

"Now. Again."

I tightened my grip. The lightning surged once more, shadows curling around me. My chest burned, but my focus sharpened. No hesitation this time.

’Fucking Do or die Steve.’

When I moved, it was with everything I had but the results did not improve. I realised I was not really believing.

Hazel didn’t let me breathe.

The moment my last strike faltered, she snapped her fingers.

The air trembled, and a thin crescent of silver light shot out from her sword. A flying slash. It moved faster than any arrow I had ever seen, a clean arc aimed straight at my chest.

I reacted out of instinct.

Lightning surged through me, and I swung up to meet it with my full weight behind the blade. Steel met energy and lost. The crescent carved through my guard, splitting my shirt open and biting across my ribs. Heat and pain bloomed, and blood spilled freely.

I gritted my teeth, staggering back.

"You hesitated," Hazel said calmly. She didn’t even move, her silver hair swaying with the wind of her own attack. "You thought of surviving instead of ending it. That thought cost you."

Her voice carried no pity. It was cutting, like her sword.

I clenched my jaw and nodded. "Again."